DREW’S INTEREST IN SPORTS INSPIRES A NEW JOURNEY
When I was younger I was always interested in sports. I can remember waking up on Saturday mornings to watch Sportscenter highlights rather than the Saturday morning cartoons. I would go on to play baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, and even compete in a few youth triathlons up in New York with a family friend throughout the course of my childhood. One of the downsides to playing sports for a prolonged time is that injury becomes commonplace. I was fortunate enough to never sustain a serious injury, however I did watch numerous friends and teammates go through ACL tears and a variety of broken bones. I was always curious about what the procedure to recover from such traumatic injuries entailed. I would tag along to physical therapy sessions with friends when possible to see the types of things the therapists were doing. Towards the end of my high school career when it was time to begin thinking of the next chapter of my life I decided that I wanted to become a physical therapist. This decision ultimately played a major role in enrolling at East Carolina due to the excellent reputation for their PT program. As a kid growing up in Pinehurst, North Carolina I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to leave the small town. After about a year and half in Greenville, NC at East Carolina University I came to the realization of what a great place Pinehurst is to live. I loved my time at ECU and wouldn’t trade it for anything, but after 4 years of coursework I had to find an internship in order to complete my degree and felt it was my time to move on from Greenville. So I began my search for opportunities in Pinehurst. I spent a summer shadowing clinics in Pinehurst and always enjoyed the laid back atmosphere at Appalachian Physical Therapy. I alsoworked at a golf course where many of the patients frequently played and they raved of the quality of treatment along with the friendly demeanor of staff. I contacted a few local physical therapy clinics, but knew that Appalachian was at the top of my list. Fortunately for me, they accepted me as a student and I was able to work with Teri throughout the course of the internship and also gained valuable insight from all the therapists during that time. Shortly after the completion of my internship they offered to bring me on as a staff member while I was working on my applications for PT programs.
In some way, I am still very much like the younger version of myself. I still am highly interested in sports and love the thrill of competition that it brings. On cold or rainy days you can more than likely find me watching some sort sporting event. I mainly enjoy watching college sports such as football and basketball. However, since starting fantasy football with some friends in college I have invested more time in watching the NFL. I also really enjoy watching golf with my dad and grandfather when we get together Sunday nights for dinner. I have also been privileged enough to attend a wide range of sporting events. Since graduation I have attended the PGA championship at Quail Hollow, multiple college sporting events including football, basketball, and even playoff baseball in Greenville during the summer of 2018. Sincemakingmy retirement fromclub soccer at ECU upon graduation, I have begun playing much more golf. On a nice day here in Pinehurst you will probably find me out on a golf course. This June I will be moving to Lynchburg, Virginia where I will begin the Doctorate of Physical Therapy program at the University of Lynchburg. I am very excited for the opportunity ahead of me and look forward to getting to use all the knowledge I have gained from the therapists at Appalachian. It will definitely be bittersweet leaving all the relationships I have formed with coworkers and patients behind, but I am looking forward to the journey ahead.
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog